Mulitple bowden wire structure



O. J. BRATZ INVENTOR rro l 'RA rz BY m\/TTORNEY MULTIPLE BOWDEN WIRESTRUCTURE Filed Feb. 1, 1937 .f ,4 .f 2 y. e 2 e 1155,. H /ll ll l I l il I Iluf/ Oct. 22, 1940.

Patented Oct. 22,

UNITED STATES MULITPLE BD WDEN WIRE .STRUCTURE Otto J. Bratz, Adrian,Mich., assignor to American Chain & Cable Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application February 1, 1937, Serial No,123,330

` s claims. (c1. 74.-;501)

The present invention relates to exible power transmitting mechanism ofthe type generally known as a-Bowden wire, in which a pair of elongatedelements are disposed one within the other,

whereby one will serve as a guide for the other, and in which power istransmitted by relatively sliding movement of said elements.

Such devices are commonly used to control the movement of a remote partto which rectilinear access cannot conveniently be provided from anoperating point. Heretofore, separate Bowden wires have been providedfor each control and each of such power transmitting devices has had tobe individually mounted and suitably guarded froml rattling or abrasionagainst intervening parts.

My invention has for an object to provide a multiple Bowden wirestructure comprising a plurality of power transmitting elements whichmay be handled as a unitary structure. To this end,v

I provide a plurality o'f Bowden wire casings enclosed in a singleiiexible envelope, al1 of said casings being iixed to said envelope atat least one end thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining thecasings at'a predetermined mutual spacing within the outer envelope.

A further object is to provide a central member within the envelopeadapted to maintain the unit at constant length regardless of bends andregardless of push or pull movements transmitted by the unit. f

- Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear `in thefollowing description 'of a preferred embodiment and thereafter thenovelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the 'accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinalsection of my improved multiple Bowden wire;

Fig, 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2,-2of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 3 is a-view in transverse section ytaken on I the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

As shown in the drawing, I provide a plurality of ilexible Bowden wirecasings I 0 each preferably formed of a coiled metallic ribbon. Eachcasing serves as a guide for a ilexible power 5o -transmitting elementIl which passes. therethrough. Each element II is preferably a solidwire although obviously any other suitable transmitting element may beemplyed. The casings I0 are inserted in an outer flexible casing orenvelope I3 with a spacer Il introduced .between the casings I0. Thisspacer may consist of a ilexible metal rod and is preferably v(althoughnot necessarily) formed with at faces against which the casings III bearrespectively.` Thus, inA the particular embodiment illustrated there are5 four Bowden wire casings III and the rod I4 is square incross-section. .The outer envelope I3 may be formed of a coiled metalribbon, as shown. At each end of thelenvelope there is a ierrule I5which is swaged upon the envelope I3 after the casings I0 have beenintroduced therein and by swagng the ferrule on the envelope the casingsI0 are tightly embraced and pressed against the spacer rod so that allparts except, of course, the wires II, are rigidly xed together at theends of 15 thestructure. However,\intermediate the ferrules the casingshave limitedl motion in the envelope. The rod I4 is preferably formedwith corrugations I6 near each end to provide a better grip and ensure atighter hold when the ferzo rules are swaged on.

This multiple casing may be exed, as desired, to guide the wires I0 inany desired non-rectilinear path from the points of application of powerto the parts thtat are to be actuated. As 25 the structure is bent thecentral rod I4 serves to -keep the unit at constant length. One of thewill be understood that this is not to be taken as limitative, butmerely as illustrative, and that I reserve the right to make ,variouschanges in form, construction and arrangement of parts without departingfrom 'the spirit and scope of 4o the following claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the character described comprising a plurality offlexible Bowden wire casings, a exible tubular envelope in which saidcasings 45 are loosely iitted, a spacer extending longitudinally betweenthe casings, and means binding the envelope and casings andspacertogether at each end of the device.

2. A device of the character described comprising a plurality ofilexible Bowden wire casings, a flexible tubular envelope in which saidcasings arev looselyiltted, aflexible rod disposed lengthwise betweenthecasings and maintaining'A the same in mutually spaced relation, andmeans a binding the envelope, casings and rod together at each end ofthe device.

3. A device of the character 'described comprising a plurality offlexible Bowden wire cas-` ings, a flexible tubular envelope in whichsaid casings are loosely iltted, a flexible rod disposed lengthwisebetween the casings and maintaining the same in mutuallypaced relation,a ferrule at each end oi' the envelope binding the envelope,

casings and rod together, and an elongated power transmitting elementextending through each of said casings.l f

4. Av device of the character described com'- prising a plurality offlexible Bowden wire casings, a flexible tubular envelope in which saidcasings are loosely iltted, a ilexible rod iltted between the casingsand formed with attened faces against which the casings bearrespectively, and a Ierrule binding the envelope and casings and rodtightly together at each end of the device. 5. Al` device of thecharacter described comprising a flexible tubular envelope, fourflexiblev Bowden wire casings extending lengthwise through the envelope,a flexible rod spacing the casings apart, said rod being of squarecrosssection to provide a flat face for each casing to bear against, anda ferrule binding the envelope and casings and rod tightly together ateach end of the device.

6. A device ofthe character described compris- I ing a ilexible tubularmetallic envelope, .a plurality of ilexible Bowden wire casings withinsaid envelope, means separating and holding said casings in mutuallyspaced relation within said en-` velope, and a ferrule swaged on an endof said envelope binding said envelope, casings and means together as aunitary structure.

7. A device of the "character described comprising a ilexible tubularmetallic envelope, a

plurality of iiexible Bowden wire casings within said envelope, meansseparating and holding said casings in mutually spaced relation withinsaid envelope, a ferrule swaged yon an end of said envelope to hold theenvelope, casings and means o'i'ro J. Baa'rz. 30

